1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swing-type portable communication apparatus and a hinge mechanism thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a swing-type portable communication apparatus having a display part without a height difference after the display part is swung open.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable communication apparatus generally refers to a device that provides a user with the ability to have a wireless communication with another party, while carrying it. Such a portable communication apparatus includes, for example, a hand held product (HHP), a CT-2, a cellular phone, a digital phone, a personal communications service (PCS) phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like, which may be classified into various types depending on appearances thereof.
For example, the portable communication apparatuses can be divided into a number of classifications including a bar-type, a flip-type, a folder-type, a swing-type or a slide-type, all of which are classified according to their respective appearance. The conventional portable communication apparatuses as listed above are essentially provided with an antenna device (which is recent years has been internally arranged), a data input/output device, and a data transmitting/receiving device. As a data input/output device, a keypad which is able to input data by typically pushing operations with the user's fingers (touch) has come into widespread use.
As an example of the portable communication apparatus, a swing-type portable communication apparatus will be described hereinbelow.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional swing-type portable communication apparatus includes a body housing 10 with a detachable battery pack (not shown), a swing housing 20 rotatable (e.g. pivots) about a hinge axis A1 which is extended in a perpendicular direction in the front surface of the body housing 10, while facing the body housing 10, and a hinge module (not shown) for rotatably securing the swing housing 20 to the body housing 10 in a state of facing the latter.
The conventional swing-type portable communication apparatus as described above is configured to rotate the swing housing in a state in which the swing housing is facing the body housing, so as to create a height difference therebetween due to the thickness of the respective housings, thereby deteriorating the design of a product. Further, when the swing housing is provided with a display part and the body housing has a keypad and another display part, there is inconvenience should one desire simultaneously to use the keypad and each display part because of the height difference of the respective housings.
Hence, there has been a long-felt need in the art to develop a mechanism which can juxtapose the keypad and the display parts provided at the respective housings at the same angle without a height difference.